1. Posted by szs on Fri, Jul 27, 2007, 10:32 pm PDT

Or make your own healthy and tasty homemade oatmeal bar. I like making Matisse & Jack's chocolate bars with the special peanut bar recipe I found on their site: www.MatisseAndJacks.com. My kids eat 'em for breakfast or I put them in their lunches.

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2. Posted by shel-shel on Sat, Jul 28, 2007, 4:53 pm PDT

I love those ideas I will use them often!!!!!!!!!!! :

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3. Posted by N.S. on Mon, Jul 30, 2007, 4:09 pm PDT

After reading the magnetic diet I stopped putting packaged goodies in my kid's lunches, now I include a snack size bag of baby carrots, a sliced apple, and some home made trail mix with raw almonds, walnuts, and raisins.

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4. Posted by loleann on Tue, Jul 31, 2007, 2:36 pm PDT

my girls love roll ups, which is flour tortillas, with anything rolled in them. Some days it is peanut butter and jelly, other days it is turkey meat. thy will eat most anything as long as it is rolled. usually they also take a favorite veggie and ranch dip. add a hand full of nature valley oats and huney ceral and they have a healthy and sdelicious lunch. Water or juice and we are done.

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5. Posted by petitecv on Sat, Aug 04, 2007, 5:36 am PDT

A nutritious and healthy advice for women and children. Be courageous to donate more articles!!!

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6. Posted by Jag on Sun, Aug 12, 2007, 4:57 pm PDT

Loved the article with one exception. I was surprised to see the kabobs using wood skewers with all the violence in schools these days.-- Jag

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7. Posted by Linda H on Mon, Aug 27, 2007, 3:47 pm PDT

More! More! We got in the lunch box rut last year and fought over whether she would take her lunch to school or not. Mommy won "because I'm Mommy, that's why." I don't want to repeat the same scene this year.

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8. Posted by lilibug28 on Sat, Sep 01, 2007, 1:44 pm PDT

this may sound a little weird to some families, but it was my favorite healthy sandwich for YEARS as a kid (from about age 4 to 4th grade) and i still revert to it as a feel good lunch. anyway, you use whole wheat pita bread and then mash up tofu and avocado together and stuff it inside the pita bread. looks a little funny but really is delicious, and not too "weird" tastting for picky little kids

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9. Posted by smadden62@rogers.com on Sun, Sep 09, 2007, 10:03 pm PDT

Love the ideas

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10. Posted by Claudiesoldman on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, 10:19 am PDT

some good ideas but what kid do you know who likes hummus or bell peppers? Alot the stuff is great for older kids but not the younger ones.I like the cookie cutter idea though.

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11. Posted by svtouchdown0909 on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, 10:30 am PDT

I haved packed lunch since the 5th grade, and I never tried cafeteria food at all; however, I love this advice because this also can broaden the children's taste and helps mothers/fathers know what taste their children have. Anyway, I think this article should be taken into consideration.

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12. Posted by bananramamahannah on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, 10:44 am PDT

make sure you use a lunchbox not brown paper bags. paper bags are a wasteful and bad for the environment. plus, lunchboxes are way cooler

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13. Posted by Louis L on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, 10:46 am PDT

I have been taking my son lunch since 1st grade and he is now in 8th!!! I feel like I should get an award when he graduates this year. He has never liked the school food and it has just gone from bad to worse!!! He plays multiple sports so it is important that he has a good nutrisious lunch!! These are some good ideas, I like to make his food and take it right at his lunch time!!! The ladies in the office tell me I should make it a bussiness!!!

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14. Posted by Marilee K on Sat, Sep 29, 2007, 10:50 am PDT

My 8yo LOVES hummus (and bell peppers dipped in hummus!). In fact many of her friends have asked for a taste and ended up loving it. If your child has never tasted it, try getting a nice, smooth, creamy brand (like Sabra) and test it out.

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15. Posted by stevewcarlisle on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 8:19 am PDT

unfortunately, even the most conscientiously prepared meals sent to school with your kids will likely be traded off with other kids for the sugar/fat/salt goodies that have been indelibly marketed to them. i'm afraid we've lost sight of the fact that until physical education and media deprogramming are foundational aspects of our educational system our kids don't stand a chance - regardless of a parents best efforts. oh yeah, this is the voice of experience speaking.

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16. Posted by willbehear on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 8:29 am PDT

I pack my kids lunches nearly everyday and have since they started 3K (now in HS), They balk at having to buy lunch on occassion (If I happen to be ill or traveling or something). Once a week I do a "snack lunch", (NO obviously "food" food, but still nutricious) like an apple, cheese and crackers, yogurt drink, wheat tortillas and fresh salsa... My sons favorite is BLT's!

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17. Posted by emacrow on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 8:33 am PDT

My biggest problem with packing my kids lunches is keeping them cold. I have tried all different types of lunch boxes and adding the cold packs to them, nothing is working. There is nothing worse then eating warm cheese and cold soup at lunch. Any suggestions???

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18. Posted by legal_alien_000 on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 8:47 am PDT

Great advice. However, I would like to add that ingredients of foods you buy/pack should be considered. Most breads, crackers, peanut butters and jellies, as well as Newtons bars still contain high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats, both of which are worse then regular sugar and butter, respectively, for your metabolism. 'Whole grain' or 'low fat' shouldn't be the only guideline in choosing foods.

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19. Posted by mistyglyn on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 8:49 am PDT

That article is somewhat misleading. In Texas, for instance, the Texas Department of Agriculture has toughened its regulations tighter than that of the USDA. There are so many fat, sat fat, and sugar regulations (not to mention the elimination of deep fat frying) that it has severely limited the items being sold to our children (which is a GREAT thing). Through more fresh veggies, baked entree's and snacks, coupled with milk everyday, I could not pack a better lunch than that. Bottom line, parents are stewards over our children and their choices......teach them right and how to make the right choices. School foodservice , at least in Texas, is a great thing!

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20. Posted by jdm_d on Sun, Sep 30, 2007, 9:26 am PDT

My 8 year old son doens't want to buy lunch this year because it takes too long. He doesn't like many of the typical sandwich lunches so we' ve been trying to come up with other ideas. He likes home roasted turkey breast, chicken salad with red grapes and mayo(no celery), smoked salmon on a bagel, string cheese, and low salt ham. Usually, he takes yogurt drinks in his snack bag. I have been unable to find any container that keeps hot food hot enough, between 40 and 140 until lunchtime. I pack lunch by 7:30, but he doesn't eat until about 12:45. Any ideas? The cold packs and an insulated lunch box work well for cold. Often, the blue ice is partially frozen when he comes home.

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21. Posted by aderyn_33 on Mon, Dec 10, 2007, 6:44 am PST

I love these ideas! I pack my daughter's lunch every day but Friday. If she's been well behaved all week, she gets to buy that day. (They usually have slightly healthier foods on Fridays.) Other than that, most of their school lunches are horrible...french fries, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, tater tots, pizza, etc. I watch sat fats on everything I get for the kids. I'm definitely going to try some of the other wrap ideas. Oh, and for the record, all of my kids eat green peppers, brocoli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, tomatoes, onions, etc. If parents introduce these things early enough, the kids will be used to them and accept them as a normal part of life. For the hot food....I got my daughter a crayola crayon shaped insulated container at the beginning of last school year. If you tighten the lid down, it keeps a great seal, and sometimes she complains her food is too hot at lunch! Hers sits for about 4 hours before they eat. They've had to have an ex-marine open it before because it's created such a vacuum. I had found the advice somewhere to pour hot/boiling water into the container and put the lid on it while you are heating the food to go in. It keeps it much warmer.

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22. Posted by andrea_lynn_b on Thu, Feb 28, 2008, 5:16 am PST

Love these lunchbox ideas. As a parent of three I totally understand why most parents pack quick and easy lunches. We're no longer allowed to send anything that may have been processed in a plant with nuts, which rules out a lot of healthy choices-including the baked veggie chips my kids love. Also, all the years I spent at home teaching my children to sit and eat slowly (chew your food) They don't have time anymore. They have to eat their lunch inside (no outdoor snacks in case they share) all in 20 minutes. That's not nearly enough time for a child to open a lunchbox, open packages/containers, wash their hands at the bathroom down the hall and eat properly. This is probably the reason the obesity rate in children is so high. I still pack my sons their most loved salads (spinach, bean or broccoli) but if they eat that they have no time for anything else.

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23. Posted by bip_1060 on Wed, Sep 03, 2008, 1:45 pm PDT

I would just like to say that not all kids grow out of being picky eaters. I still eat the same things I ate when I was in elementary school, and I'm now a senior in high school. Don't get me wrong, what I eat has expanded a little, but not enough that anyone would be able to tell except me and my mom. Just letting you know.

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24. Posted by bip_1060 on Wed, Sep 03, 2008, 1:45 pm PDT

I would just like to say that not all kids grow out of being picky eaters. I still eat the same things I ate when I was in elementary school, and I'm now a senior in high school. Don't get me wrong, what I eat has expanded a little, but not enough that anyone would be able to tell except me and my mom. Just letting you know.

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25. Posted by cats.designs on Fri, Sep 05, 2008, 7:36 pm PDT

I saw all the comments, but where is the article?

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26. Posted by rockett on Thu, Feb 26, 2009, 8:41 am PST

Great ideas that I look forward to trying. I pack my son's (16yo) lunch practically every day. I have the grocery store deli carve off turkey or chicken for his sandwich. My son is ADHD and wears a patch that decreases his appetite by lunch time. I usually pack a sandwich using whole wheat bread, dorito chips, and one of the fruits -- grapes, tangerines or a banana along with a capri sun drink. Out of the items that he can eat, he usually brings back most of it saying he just wasn't hungry. I started making his a half of a sandwich and he brings that back too. He will usually eat the chips and maybe drink the capri sun. He is usually hungry at dinner time which is between 6 & 7. He loves broccoli, green beans, collards, turnip greens, kale, spinach, okra, corn and tomatoes mixed, salads and most meats. Breakfast is only beef sausage, eggs occasionally, and absolutely loves POP TARTS

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27. Posted by travelinsong on Thu, Feb 26, 2009, 3:17 pm PST

I agree with healthy habits with lots of fruitsand veggies BUT I do not agree with using anything with Hydros or trans fats. Some of the suggested items are packed with these man made shelf life extenders.... Watch what you buy... just because it says less fat or healthy on it does not make it healthy for you.

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28. Posted by Persaunna on Mon, Aug 24, 2009, 12:59 pm PDT

Thank you all so much for your ideas! My easy going daughter has turned finicky overnight and all of these ideas are great--I'm sure she'll reject some, but may embrace others, and we are all tired of PBJ's

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29. Posted by jesssimk on Fri, Aug 28, 2009, 6:27 pm PDT

this is so helpful

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30. Posted by Sandra P on Wed, Sep 09, 2009, 8:36 pm PDT

check out "hillbilly house wife" for more lunch idea's ..... it's a good site too!

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